1. Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with cone bore seals to prevent ingress of contaminants and water to the cone faces during separation of the cone faces in service.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The bearing on which work rolls of rolling mills turn are subjected to hostile environments in which the bearings are called upon to sustain heavy radial loads exerted by the passage of components which require shaping by the rolls supported on bearings carrying the roll necks in supporting chocks. The forming process subjects the rolls to high pressures and impacts as the chocks in which the bearings are housed yield to radial and axial displacement. Such bearings require seals which exclude contaminants while the displacement occurs in the bearing assembly.
The problem of excluding contaminants has been attacked in many ways such as by T-shaped spacers between the bearing cones of adjacent bearing assemblies. Such seals do not effectively exclude water which is used to control bearing heat. During operation of the mill rolls, the bearing cone faces tend to separate due to changes in the direction of the thrust loads, thereby allowing water and water born contaminants to enter. This results in wear of the cone faces which permits drastic water and contaminant ingress to the bearing assembly.
This problem of the foregoing character has been addressed by bearing manufacturers in respect of protecting bearings in work or back-up rolls of a rolling mill. One example is seen in the Ebaugh et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,040 of Sept. 8, 1987 which illustrates a sealing arrangement used where the inner end faces of the inner races abut one another. However, none of the several designs shown in this patent cope effectively with the cone face separation which occurs in service.